Gamer, fixing the fates of fictional characters

Silence.

Complete silence.

The clearing, where fights just brandished the landscape, was absolute stillness.

Everyone, no matter which side, was forced to look at the figure that was standing in the middle of it all.

Though, he wasn't very tall yet, with merely 1.6 meters height, at this moment and with the chaotic presence around him, for everyone present he looked higher than they could fathom.

Ignoring the tension in the air, Kaitou looked down towards Raiga, then to the others and lastly scanned the battlefield, before giving an approving nod. It seemed like the team he chose was as effective as he envisioned. All around where at least a few dozen dead bodies, and many more injured ones still standing.

"You've done a good job, but I'll take it from here." 

His voice was steady, calm, yet carried a weight that sent a chill down the spines of everyone present. Raiga, still kneeling, clenched his jaw, frustration flickering in his eyes. He now realized thatKaitou was strong - stronger than any of them, maybe even combined - but the idea of just stepping back while he fought alone didn't sit right. 

Fuyuki stepped forward. "We can still fight." 

"We should fight," Ryouji added, eyes darting between the enemy shinobi who were regaining their composure. 

Isamu, though silent, stood firm, his Ninken growling lowly at his side. They weren't about to just stand back and watch. 

Kaitou, however, merely shook his head. "No." 

The simple response was enough to shut down any further protests. He wasn't dismissing them out of arrogance or distrust—he simply knew that their role in this battle was over. 

A single seal formed between his fingers, and in an instant, a shadow clone materialized beside Raiga. Without another word, the clone hoisted the injured shinobi onto its back and, with a burst of chakra, disappeared into the trees, heading straight for the others. 

The remaining three hesitated. Their pride told them to stay, to fight beside him, but something in the way Kaitou stood - the absolute certainty in his movements - made them step back. He wasn't asking them to leave. He was telling them. 

As the realization sank in, a snarl broke the silence. 

"Tch. What's this? A brat thinks he can take us all on?" 

One of the enemy shinobi scoffed, his voice dripping with amusement. Others chuckled, their grips on their weapons relaxing slightly. 

"Did your daddy put you in charge?" another mocked. "What, you think just because you have some fancy tricks, you can stand against all of us?" 

Kaitou didn't react. He simply exhaled, closing his eyes for a brief moment. 

"You should have left when you had the chance."

The enemies barely had time to process the words before the battlefield shifted. 

A blur. 

No - multiple blurs. 

Kaitou vanished. 

Then suddenly, he was everywhere. 

To the left-no, to the right-no, behind them-no, above-

Dozens of figures flickered in and out of existence, appearing and disappearing with impossible speed. Clones, illusions, the very air warped around them as if reality itself had become unstable. 

Shouts rang out as the enemy shinobi tried to react. Weapons slashed at empty air. Jutsu were fired at flickering mirages. Every attempt to strike was met with nothing. 

Their formation crumbled in seconds. 

And then the real horror began. 

Kaitou started. 

In one breath, he was in front of a shinobi, his sword ready. A brutal, but swift slash came from his sword and made quick work of the Shinobi. 

In the next, he switched places with a clone, appearing behind another target. A single touch, and an explosive seal activated, detonating with pinpoint precision and sending another body tumbling lifelessly to the ground. 

Then he was above them, shifting through the clones like a phantom, his presence never constant - always shifting, always striking. 

And the enemy? 

They didn't even know where to defend. 

Panic set in. Their earlier arrogance was gone, replaced by frantic movements, wide eyes, and desperate swings. 

"What the hell is this?!" one of them screamed. 

"It's an illusion - no, clones - no, he's switching-!" 

But before they could piece together the truth, Kaitou's sword descended, cutting of head, sending it spiraling into the air. 

One by one, they fell. 

And Kaitou, expression never changing, continued his dance through the battlefield.

At one point, no more reinforcements were coming, and the battle came to an end.

Kaitou scanned through the surroundings with his eyes, but was able to find any signs of life, besides his four companions. Upon being sure, that everything was finished for now, he came over to them.

When the four saw him, they were looking at him in awe, he stood there not only looking completely unscathed, but besides his sword, boots and some small drops on his face, he looked exactly like he did this morning.

"Have you done some first aid? We can be sure now, that their camp has to be close by, so when the others arrive, then we'll move. I've already sent them a message seal, notifying them about the development," Kaitou snapped them out of their trance.

"Ye- Yes sir, we have administered some first aid, but participating in a bigger battle seems unlikely for him," Fuyuki answered, now a lot more respectful than before.

"Raiga, it's your decision. I can seal the injuries for a bit, that won't help them, but will also not make them worse. It is not a permanent solution, but it should hold till we're finished here," Kaitou offered Raiga, making him look at him in thought.

Raiga's expression was unreadable for a moment. He hated the idea of being a burden, but he also knew his current condition wouldn't allow him to fight properly. Clenching his fists, he let out a slow breath before nodding. 

"Please do, sir." 

Kaitou gave a short nod in return, forming a quick sequence of hand seals. A faint glow spread from his fingertips as he placed his hand over Raiga's wound. The chakra pulsed, sealing the injury just enough to prevent it from worsening. 

The pain dulled slightly, though Raiga could still feel the strain on his muscles. It wasn't a miracle fix, but it would keep him on his feet. 

"That should hold," Kaitou muttered, standing back up. "But don't push yourself." 

Raiga scoffed, rolling his shoulder to test the limits of his movement. "No promises." 

The others remained quiet, still digesting what they had just witnessed. Kaitou, unfazed, turned back toward the battlefield, his sharp eyes scanning the remains of the fallen enemies. 

"This was probably quickly assembled group," he finally said. "Their numbers were too few for a full force, and their formations were weak. That means their main camp isn't far." 

Fuyuki nodded, now standing at full attention. "Then what's our next move?" 

"What else? We finish the mission," Kaitou said simply. "We regroup with the others, once we confirm everyone's status, we move on their base before they have a chance to recover." 

No one argued. There was no questioning his orders anymore. 

The air was still heavy with the scent of blood and scorched earth as the five of them gathered themselves. Kaitou took one last look at the battlefield before turning away. 

"Let's go."